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Easy Homemade Lasagna

Ingredients

Meat

  • 1.5 - 2 lbs. ground turkey or beef
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seed, slightly crushed
  • ½ teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning (or black pepper)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ¼ cup water

Cheese Filling

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup fresh Parmesan, grated or shaved
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • ½ c. fresh parsley, chopped

Other Ingredients

  • 1 package oven-ready (no cook) lasagna noodles (typically a 9oz. package)
  • 2 jars (24 oz.) marinara sauce (we like Victoria's but any brand will do)
  • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (for top)
  • fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for serving)
  • extra fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Meat

  • Start by browning your ground meat in a large nonstick pan, over medium-high heat. I like to brown it all the way before seasoning it so the seasonings don't burn.
  • Once it's brown, add all the seasonings, including the fresh parsley. Stir well.
  • Once the seasonings are incorporated, add lemon juice and water. Stir to coat the meat.
  • Cook for 3-5 more minutes until fragrant, and seasoning is well mixed into meat. Turn off heat and set aside.

Cheese Filling

  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine ricotta and heavy cream. Mix until smooth.
  • Add in cheeses, fresh parsley, and garlic salt. Mix well. Set aside

Assembly

  • Pour marinara sauce in the bottom of the 9x13" pan until it's coated, about 1/2 inch thick.
  • Place 3 oven-ready pieces of lasagna evenly across pan (they will expand when baking).
  • On top of noodles, spoon a very thin layer of marinara sauce. Spread evenly. Dollop with the cheese mixture and spread it evenly across. Then add meat and sprinkle evenly across. Top with another thin layer of red sauce.
  • Add 3 more pieces of the oven-ready lasagna and continue layering until you have 4-5 layers. I like as many layers as I can get.
  • When you are done, finish the top with a layer of noodles, marinara, and then top with the slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.
  • Cover loosely with tinfoil and bake for 25 minutes, covered.
  • Then remove cover and bake for 10-15 more minutes until red sauce is bubbling and cheese begins to turn light golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.
  • The fresh mozzarella on top can be very stretchy (delicious!) but hard to cut, so use a sharp knife to cut into this. Cut into squares and serve. Top with additional parsley and/or fresh parm if desired. Enjoy!